Nigeria Senate's summoning of the Ministers of Power and Aviation following a power outage that grounded activities at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja for over an hour is a step in the right direction.  Should this move be embraced by the entire continent, it will nurture a culture of accountability.

Energy development is a critical element of economic development. There is no excuse for Nigeria, which started generating electricity in 1894, and has alternative power sources, to subject the citizenry in frequent blackouts. Nigeria's citizenry and businesspeople hope that the summons will go beyond questioning the power outages at the airport only; interrogate why electricity generation capacities have not kept pace with the energy needs of the country; and provide a lasting solution.

There is no way Africa will join the league of emerging and developed economies if key infrastructural sectors such as food security; health; energy; communication; education and economic wellbeing are in dis-array. A culture of evaluating performance and holding responsible personalities to account will spur sanity and efficiency on the continent.